Friday, December 25, 2015

The passages before us today
from the prophets and from the Gospel of Luke share a common theme – the
arrival of the Branch of the Line of David. Isaiah first heard God’s promise of
the Branch – a king who would rule and reign in righteousness. The Branch would
not be like the false shepherds in Isaiah’s day – kings who looked out only for
their personal interests, pursuing personal gain at the expense of the sheep.
Rather, He would be filled with the Spirit of God, filled with wisdom,
knowledge, and discretion – modeling the character of God Himself. But for a
time God’s people had to endure the darkness of kings like Manasseh and Amon.

Over a hundred years later,
Jeremiah picked up on this same promise. Disgusted like Isaiah with the
selfishness and folly of the kings of Israel he reminded his readers of God’s
promise through Isaiah. One day God would raise up to David a Branch of
righteousness. This king would reign and prosper, saving and protecting His
people, upholding righteousness and purity in His person. But for a time God’s
people had to endure the darkness of kings like Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim,
Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah.

Another hundred years later,
Zechariah returned to the same promise. Though Israel then lacked a king and
was subject to foreign rule, God told Zechariah to set a kingly crown upon the
head of the High Priest Jeshua. For the Branch would be not only Israel’s king
but also her high priest. “He shall sit
and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne” and, “The counsel of peace shall be between the
two offices.” This priestly king would not abuse the authority granted to
Him but would rule and reign in righteousness and justice, bringing light to
all the world. But for a time God’s people had to endure the darkness of Persia,
Greece, and Rome.

But then, over four hundred
years later, an angel spoke to some shepherds. The long-promised Branch of
righteousness, the Shepherd of Israel, the One who would rule and reign in
justice was to be born. “For there is
born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” And
this would be good news not just for Israel but also for all people, for all
the nations of the earth, for all the families of the earth. The light is
coming, the world will change. Then glory filled the sky, the light and life of
the Messiah’s rule reflected itself in the voices and faces of the angelic host
as they declared that the prophecies of Isaiah and of Jeremiah and of Zechariah
were coming to fruition. Praise filled the sky as the angels marveled that the
mercies of God would now extend to all the peoples of the earth. Light had
come!

So what do these words mean
for us? Just this: the darkness of the Judaic Age has come to an end. The
Judaic Age – when God’s presence was by and large limited to the land of
Israel, closeted behind the veil in the Holy of Holies – the Judaic Age has
passed. Now the Age of the Messiah has come – all nations have been given to
Him and so the Word of Truth, the light of life, is going forth to all the nations
of the earth. The Spirit of God has been poured out on the Church and is now
pouring forth from her into the world bringing life and salvation in His wake.
God has begun to fulfill the promises He made long ago through the prophets. He
has given a King to rule and reign in Justice; He has given a High Priest to
minister in the Temple. And this King, this High Priest is our Lord Jesus
Christ. He is the Branch from the Stem of Jesse.

It is this transition from
darkness to light that we sung of just a moment ago. In the darkness of the
ancient world, amidst the rot and decay of paganism, amidst the folly of
apostate Judaism, came the Root and Branch of David.

Isaiah ‘twas foretold it, the Rose I have in mind;

With Mary we behold it, the virgin mother kind.

To show God’s love aright, she bore to men a Savior,

When half-spent was the night.

And from this Root, this
Branch, planted by the hand of God, a great tree has grown which shall one day
fill the entire earth.

“This Flow’r, whose fragrance tender with sweetness
fills the air,

Dispels with glorious splendor the darkness
everywhere;

True Man, yet very God, from sin and death He saves
us,

And lightens every load.”

It is the planting of this
Branch, the Branch of Righteousness, which we celebrate today. The light has
come – let us feast! Our King sits upon His throne – let us rejoice! Our High
Priest has offered up a perfect sacrifice on our behalf and offers up prayers
and petitions for us continually – let us give thanks! And let us start even
now. Let us pray together: